Moves
by D2810
Summary: Set at the Burrow two months after the Battle of Hogwarts. How do Ron and Hermione deal with their feelings now? Small story on how Ron tries to overcome his awkwardness and make a move. Just a cute scene... Hope you like it!


Hi everyone! This is my first ever attempt at fan fiction.

I love Harry Potter and I find Ron and Hermione a terribly cute couple. I just thought of this story when I was wondering what would have happened after the DH. Would it be so easy to get together after a war? After losing so many people? This is just a small piece about how Ron and Hermione find each other finally.

Moves

It had been two months since the Battle. Sometimes Ron couldn't believe that it was finally over. Voldemort's, who had spent a lifetime trying to conquer mortality, had finally been vanquished. Yet, like all hard battles, this one had come with the heavy price of many lives.

Somehow the joy and relief that should have followed the victory did not come – could not come. The 'happily ever after' seemed to have been buried along with Fred, Lupin, Tonks and so many others. It was hard for everyone to get on with their lives, with the shadow of so many losses lingering on their heads all the time.

For the first few days, Ron could not imagine that he would ever be able to get over Fred's death. Yet, just as many others had discovered before him, he soon realized that time was indeed a great healer. As the days passed, he found himself dwelling on Fred lesser and lesser. It hurt of course to think about him, but the memories were starting to fade slowly. Of everyone in the Weasley household, it was naturally George who was finding it the hardest. Somewhere in his mind, Ron knew that George would never be the same again, but he himself had started picking up the threads of normalcy.

Ron was alone at the dining room in the Burrow, staring into the fireplace. He found this thoughts straying once more to Hermione as they frequently did nowadays. After spending some time with her parents, Hermione had returned to the Burrow a few weeks back. She had decided to finish her seventh year at Hogwarts and would be going back with Ginny in September. Ron and Harry had of course decided to begin with Auror training and would not be returning to school.

Ron often remembered that moment in the Room of Requirement during the Battle when taking him completely by surprise, Hermione had kissed him. After skirting around the matter for years, they both finally acknowledged that they liked each other. That one moment had filled him completely with joy, hope and even a little relief! She _did_ like him! He wasn't being presumptuous!

The strange thing however was that nothing had really changed even after the kiss. Of course in the aftermath of the Battle, everyone had other things on their mind. But even now, when things were settling down, and sometimes it almost felt like the old days, Ron found Hermione behaving exactly as she always did. (Okay, they were perhaps arguing lesser now!) Ron of course was as confused as he had ever been. He _knew_ that she liked him. Why then was she doing nothing about it? Maybe she had changed her mind after the battle… He didn't know.

Ron needed help. Understanding how girls' minds worked was completely beyond him. But the question was who to ask? He couldn't speak to his parents. The thought was mortifying. He could not imagine himself talking to George. Fred might be gone, but George was enough to take the mickey out of him for this! Percy was equally unimaginable. Ron suspected that there was a chance that he knew more about girls than Percy did, and that was saying something! Charlie had gone back to Romania. Not that he was likely to have been much help anyway. He didn't really seem all that much into girls.

Now, Bill was someone he could speak to. Bill wouldn't make fun of him and out of all the Weasleys, if anyone knew their way around the ladies, it was Bill. But Bill was busy. Fleur was going to have a baby soon and Ron felt that this wasn't an appropriate occasion to worry his brother about the pangs of his adolescent love life!

For a moment, Ron thought of Ginny. _She_ was a girl. She would definitely know what was up with Hermione. But then again, she was a girl and she would immediately go and tell everything to Harry and Hermione! No, he didn't want that. Plus, after all the fuss he'd made over her boyfriends, he didn't want to see the look on her face when he came to her with girl troubles!

There was no point talking to Harry. He knew just as little as Ron did about girls. The phrase 'emotional range of a teaspoon' floated across his brain. Hermione had always helped with this kind of stuff. It was like a switch clicked on in his head.

He needed to speak to Hermione herself. It was risky he knew. Given their past record, he was very liable to messing this up. But somehow (maybe it was divine insight) he realized that every time he'd messed this up in the past was because he had failed to tell her how _he_ actually felt. His mind went back to the Yule Ball, the rather embarrassing fling with Lavender and he realized that they had always left too many things unspoken.

The decision was made and for the first time in his life, Ron found himself in a situation where he needed to make the first move. The thought made him nervous and somehow he found himself even more awkward than usual around Hermione.

One evening Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the living room after dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone to bed. George was spending the night at the shop in Diagon Alley and Percy was in London. Harry and Ginny were sitting near the fireplace and quietly talking. Hermione was curled up on the couch next to Ron, engrossed in _House Elves, Goblins and Centaurs, Near-Human or Superhuman Intelligence?_ Ron was holding the Daily Prophet, his eyes skimming over Rita Skeeter's latest piece ('_Mandatory Registration of Animagi – When will the Iron Rule end?_')

Of course he wasn't really concentrating on the article. He was much too distracted by Hermione. The look of concentration on her face, the way her eyes were darting along the page, the way her slender fingers moved to tuck a lock of curly brown hair behind her ears… he had a sudden impulse to run his fingers through her hair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry and Ginny get up.

Stifling a yawn, Ginny said, "I think I'd better go to bed… feeling sleepy".

Harry nodded.

"Yeah me too…" Harry's hair looked even messier than usual.

For probably the first time since his sister had started going out with his best friend, Ron's brotherly instincts did not register what was happening and he barely reacted to Ginny and Harry leaving the room, muttering a vague good night. Hermione looked up from her book.

"Good Night! I think I'll go to bed soon too. After this chapter…" Peering at her bookmark and flipping a few pages, she added, "Yes… just 85 pages more."

Ron found himself alone with Hermione. The moment was perfect. He needed to do something. Now. He found his fingers making involuntary movements. Slowly and hesitantly, he raised his arms, feigning a stretch (he added a small yawn for effect) and with a very carefully calculated casualness he let his right arm drop on the back of the couch where Hermione was sitting. Moving slowly, he shifted his arm lower till he found Hermione's shoulder.

A jolt of electricity ran through him. His heart was thudding as he felt Hermione stiffen. Ron moved his fingers till they were confidently cupping her shoulder. He looked straight ahead at the fireplace and swallowed hard. He didn't know what to do now!

"Oh Ron!"

Swallowing hard and blushing profusely, Ron turned to look at Hermione. She had a strange expression on her face. It was exasperation mingled with amusement and an unrecognizable glint in her eye. Ron's own eyes were as big as saucers. He tried to say something but found his throat too dry.

"Erm… 'Mione… I was just… I just wanted to… umm…"

Hermione shifted till she was comfortably enveloped in Ron's arm. She kept her book aside (careful to mark the page of course) and took Ron's other hand in her own, all the while looking up at Ron. She had a huge grin on her face. Ron found his face slowly breaking into a smile.

"Oh Ron! You are so mad!"

Ron hesitated.

'What do you mean?"

"What took you so long to do that?"

Ron blushed to the roots of his flaming hair.

"Well… I don't know. I guess I was sort of waiting for some sort of umm… sign… from you".

Hermione had an incredulous look on her face. Ron was reminded of the innumerable times when she'd had that expression on her face, when she'd known something which he and Harry didn't know and she'd thought it was so obvious!

"What sort of a sign did you want? I snogged you in the middle of a raging Battle at Hogwarts, _in front of _Harry! Ronald Weasley, I could _not _have been more obvious!"

Ron found himself going red at the memory. He suddenly felt very silly.

"Well… since then you know… I mean, you've been acting so normal around here… around _me_. I thought maybe you've changed your mind…"

Hermione sat up straight, again with that maddening look on her face. She raised her eyebrows, once again hinting at something obvious, but seeing Ron's confused expression she softened. Her voice was lower as she spoke.

"I guess I was confused too, Ron. With everything that happened after the battle, I didn't know what to do. I mean after Fred, it felt so wrong to be thinking along these lines. Any time seemed too soon. And I didn't know what you wanted – did you want to be left alone? I mean many people need to be alone and I understand that! I didn't want to upset you by crowding you. I suppose I wanted to give you your space. But did you want someone to be with you? Oh, I didn't know, Ron. I didn't…"

For the first time in his life, Ron knew something that Hermione Granger did not. Pulling her closer, Ron quietly replied.

"How could you imagine that I would not want to be with you? I know it's been a tough time for all of us. It has been a tough time for me. But, I'm no superhero Hermione. I can't handle all this alone. I needed my rock".

It was Hermione's turn to feel silly now. She felt a sudden rush of emotions. There was tremendous guilt for withdrawing when Ron needed her the most, but at the same time she was feeling an unknown pleasure. He _had_ wanted her around. He didn't want to be alone _without_ her. Something else though continued to bother her.

"But Ron, I could not have known. _I_ needed a sign from you. I can't always be guessing what you want. And I can't always make the first move".

Hermione saw Ron chewing at his lower lip as he looked away. He took a deep breath and Hermione felt deflated. He _still_ didn't get it! She shook her head and looked down. Suddenly she felt Ron's fingers on her cheeks. He moved her face to look up at him. He still looked a bit anxious and nervous, but Hermione was seeing something in his eyes that she had never seen before. Was it desire? In that one instant, for her Ron was no longer the schoolmate she had a crush on, the friend she really liked – he was a man, who clearly wanted the woman before him.

With hitherto unsuspected confidence, Ron began to move his fingers and caressed her face. Hermione found herself vaguely breathless. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and as she moistened her lips, she saw Ron's eyes following her tongue. His eyes darkened as he bent down to kiss her.

It was the sweetest sensation that she had ever experienced. She felt she would melt into his arms. The kiss was firm, but gentle, coaxing and caressing all at the same time. Her hands travelled up as she ran her fingers through his hair. Somewhere her mind dimly registered the fact that she had her hands in the red hair that she had always fancied and that they were just as soft as she had imagined them to be. Ron felt that he would explode with all the feelings inside him. As Hermione kissed him back with all her passion and ardour, he knew that he could spend the rest of his life just like that!

As they broke apart, Hermione had gone a deep shade of red and was suddenly very shy, even though she couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face. Ron of course could not contain his grin. He felt like the king of the world.

"How's that for a move Miss Granger?"

She looked up at him, her eyes full of happiness and embarrassment. She had the grace to blush.

"You are such a prat Ron Weasley!"

She smacked his arm playfully. But Ron caught her arm and before she could protest, he bent down to kiss her again. This time there was an urgency in the kiss as though he was keen to make up for lost time. He buried his fingers in her curls remembering how minutes ago he'd wanted to do just this.

*****************

A few hours later, Hermione sat nestled in Ron's arms on the couch. Their fingers were intertwined as he drew circles with his thumb across the back of her hand.

"So tell me Ron".

"Tell what?"

"When did you first umm… realize how you felt about me?"

Ron gruffly mumbled, "Erm… I don't know… it's been a couple of years I guess"

"Oh come on Ron! Tell me!"

Ron sighed.

"Oh okay… if you have to know. I've felt like this about you since the time I've felt _anything_ about girls. Since our second year probably. _Don't look at me like that_! But it was only in our fourth year, at the time of the Yule Ball that I realized what I had been feeling. When I realized that you were going to the Ball with someone else, something in me just couldn't bear it. I wanted you to go with me. You should have been with _me_. Not with that Viktor Krum"!

Hermione was silent. She'd guessed as much. Though hearing Ron sound so possessive about her made a smile.

"What about you? When did you realize?"

Hermione smiled.

"I honestly don't know Ron. It's strange really. But like you said, from the time that I've felt _anything_ about a boy, it was just you. I've… I've always felt strangely incomplete without you. Of course by the time of the Yule Ball, I was quite certain that I wanted to go with you. But when you didn't seem to feel anything, I gave up on you and decided to go with Viktor".

Ron knew all this of course and mentally kicked himself. If only he hadn't been such an immature fool back then, he could have had Hermione in his arms three years ago like this.

"Can I ask you something Hermione? You don't have to answer if you don't want to".

"What is it Ron?"

"Umm… did you never… umm… feel… anything for … umm… Harry?"

Hermione sighed. She was sorely tempted to lash out at him or even make a wisecrack, but she knew better. Until Ron heard how she felt he would never be satisfied and this matter would continue hang between them.

"No Ron. Never. It always surprises me that you never figured that out. I know it sounds clichéd, but Harry _has_ always been like a brother to me. We both care for each other and like good friends we will always be there for each other. Just like _you_ and Harry! As for feeling anything special for him, somehow it never happened. I guess I never felt that Harry needed me in any way more than as a friend. And I never wanted anything more from him either. You know Harry has always been different that way. He is very… self-sufficient. Frankly, sometimes I still wonder _how_ Ginny managed to get through to him! But with you, it was always different for me. We've bickered and argued and somewhere I realized that I _wanted_ you to like me. I _wanted_ to be closer to _you_".

Hermione fell silent and Ron hugged her closer.

"You're right!"

"Hmm?"

"I _am_ a prat!"

Hermione gave a silent grin as Ron moved to nuzzle her neck.

**************

Harry heard Ron tip-toe into their bedroom as he quietly shut the door behind him. It was nearly dawn. Moving silently, Ron pushed back the covers and slid into bed hoping that Harry wouldn't wake up.

"So how did it go?"

Ron turned with a start.

"Y-y-you're awake! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you up mate. Go back to sleep".

"I'm awake Ron. Now tell me, how did it go?"

"Err… what are you talking about Harry?"

"You know what I mean Ron! Did you finally speak to her? How did it go?"

Ron couldn't suppress the smile in his voice as he finally replied.

"It was awesome…"

He heard Harry chuckle in the dark.

"High time I'd say! Ginny and I were wondering when you'd finally get down to it. It was her idea actually to leave you guys alone tonight. Think you owe her a thanks"?

By now Ron was too embarrassed to speak. He just made a pleasant sort of grunt and turned his back to go to sleep. Harry smiled thinking that perhaps finally his friends were going to stop their perpetual bickering!

**************

"Oh it was lovely Ginny! I mean it was as romantic as Ron can get!"

Hermione and Ginny giggled.

"He just sort of cutely tried to put his arm around me. I knew it was completely beyond him to try anything more. But that was enough for me you know. We spoke for a while…"

"Spoke? Is that all you did??"

Hermione blushed.

"Do you _really _want to know?"

"On second thoughts… let it be! I get the picture… I think you should try and get some sleep though. Mum will be along in a few hours".

Hermione nodded and as she turned off the bedside lamp, she knew she could not stop grinning.

***************

Thanks!

Please do review! Like I said, it's my first attempt and I'd really like some feedback. If you didn't like the story, please tell me how I can make it better too!

Thanks again for reading!


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